Machine for making glass caps.



No. 677,548. Patented July 2, l90l." F. H. LOVERIDGE.

MACHINE FOR MAKING GLASS CAPS.

(Application filed Nov. 23, 1900.)

4 Shoets-'Sheet I.

(No Model.)

No. 677,548. Patented July 2, l90l. F. H. LOVEBIDGE.

MACHINE FOR MAKING GLASS CAPS.

(Application filed Nov. 23, 1900.)

4 Sheets-8heet 2.

(No Model.)

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No. 677,548. Patented July 2, I90l.

F. H. LOVEBIDGE. Y

MACHINE FOR MAKING GLASS GAPS.

\r A umion filed Nov. 23, 1900.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

No. 577,548. Patented July 2, I90l. F. H. LOVERIDGE. MACHINE FOR MAKINGGLASS CAPS.

(Application filed Nov. 23, 1900.}

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 (N0 Muriel.)

Unrrrnn STATES PATENT Cretan.

FREDERICK-H. LOVERIDGE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTERNELECTRIC COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

MACHINE FOR MAKING GLASS CAPS.

SlEClE-ICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No, 677,548, dated. July2, 1 901.

Application filed November 23, 1900. Serial 1T0. 87,464. (No model.)

To aZZ whmn it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FREDERICK H. LOVE RIDGE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Machinesfor Making Glass Caps, (Case No. 21,) of which the following is a full,clear, concise, and exact descriptiou.

My invention relates to the mauufactureof miniature incandescent lampssuch as those used as signals in the central-office switchboards oftelephone-exchanges.

In a joint application with Frank R. Mc- Berty, Serial No. 35,540, filedNovember 5, 1900, I have described a machine for making anincandescent-lamp bulb by fitting a cylindrical glass cap upon a glassstem which supports the filament and leading-in wires and sealing thesetwo parts together by fusion or welding at their ring of contact.

The present invention is concerned with the manufacture of the glass capwhich when united with the stem forms the bulb of the incandescent lamp.

This invention consists in certain mechanism and combinations ofmechanical parts with heating andv blowing devices for manipulatingshort sections of glass tubing to transform each sect-ion or length intotwo glass caps with rounded ends suitable for use in the making of thebulbs of incandescent lamps, as described, both of such caps being madeat the same time in a single operation.

I will describe my invention in detail by referring to the accompanyingdrawings, which illustrate the preferred embodiment thereof, and thatwhich I regard as new will be set forth in the appended claims.

Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, show the successive steps in the process ofmaking two lampoaps simultaneously from a single length or section ofglass tubing; and Fig. 6 showshow the cap thus formed may be united witha glass stem carrying a filament to form the bulb of an incandescentlamp. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the machine of my invention. Fig. 8 is asimilar view showing the parts in an alternative position. Fig. 9 is afront elevation of the machine, partially in section;

and Fig.1O is avertical sectional view on line 9 9 of Fig. 7.

Similar letters of reference are used to des ignate the same partswherever they are shown.

Two horizontal chucks Ct at are journaled to rotate in bearings ct a,which are pivoted to swing in horizontal planes about vertical shafts bb as axes. The two shafts are jour naled in the framework of the machineand are driven through bevel-gears bb byacom mon driving-shaft b whichin turn is driven through a clutch b by a belt-wheel or driv ing-pulleyb. The chucks a a carry bevel gear-wheels a (0 which mesh withbevelgears b mounted upon the upper ends of the short vertical shafts b1), whereby both chucks are driven in the same direction at the samespeed from the driving-shaft b The interior structure of the chucks isshown in section in Fig. 9. Two jaws a a are mounted to slide toward oraway from one another in converging slots within the body of the chuck,and a central tubular core (1 which is adapted to slide longitudinallywithin the chuck, carries projections a a which are adapted to engageextensions of said jaws, so that as the core is'moved in the jaws areforced together and as the core is moved out the jaws are opened. Ahelical compression-spring aencircles the core and presses against theprojections a tending to keep the jaws a a closed. A cylindrical tube orsleeve a is stationarily mounted upon a bracket a attached to thepivoted framework or bearing a. This tube a fits closely in the outerend of the tubular core a and is connected by a rubber tube a with amouthpiece a, so that the attendant by blowing into. said mouthpiece mayforce air through the bore of the tubular core. The whole chuck,including the core 01, rotates when driven by the bevel-gear b and, asbethe chucks a pair of arms 01 (Z are provided, having bifurcated endswhichslip over the cores inside of the annular enlargements a when thetwo chucks are in alinement. The arms (1 cl are mounted to slidelongitudinally upon a rotatable shaft (1, which is adapted to be turnedby a manual lever d mounted thereon at the side of the machine. Theshaft 61 carries cams (Z 01 which are adapted when the shaft is rotatedto engage the arms d d and slide them along the shaft in oppositedirections. \Vhen the arms 01 cl are thusmoved apart, the bifurcatedends thereof engage the annular enlargements a a of the cores, thuspulling the cores out and opening the jaws of the chucks. Besides beingcapable of rota tion the two chucks are pivoted to swing in a horizontalplane about the shafts 'b b, and to cause this swinging motion eachchuck is provided with a slotted or forked extension ai which extensionsare engaged by a pin 6, carried upon a sliding cross-bar e. As shownmost clearly in Figs. 7, S, and 10, this bar 6 is mounted to slideacross the bed of the machine between thetwochucks, and as it moves thepin 6' engages the slotted extensions or levers a a of the two chucksand moves them, thus swinging the chucks about their vertical axes.

A manual lever is provided for reciprocating the cross-bar 6, said leverbeing connected with the cross-bar by a link 6 as shown most clearly inFig. 10.

A pair of glassblowers fires ff is provided in connection with the pairof chucks, the swinging framework a of each chuck carry ing an extensiona upon which the standardsff of the gas andair jets are pivoted. Springsf f are provided upon the extensions a, which springs bear against thepiv oted standards ]"f of the fires and maintain the parts normally in aposition such that the flame of each fire will be directed nearly at thecentral point between the two chucks. l/Vhen, however,the chucks areswung around by the lever e to their extreme positions, the standardsf'f strike against projections or lugs f f mounted upon the framework ofthe machine, and the standards f are there by slightly rotatedrelatively to the extensions a the efiect being to direct the flame to apoint a little nearer the end of the chuck. This feature will beunderstood by a reference to Fig. 8.

The cross-bar e carries an upright post 9,

which when the chucks are in alinement ocgripper form a pair ofspring-actuated jaws or nippers which are open upon either side of theaxial line between the chucks when said chucks are in alinement, butwhich are closed together by the spring when the bar 6 slides across thebed to swing the chucks about their vertical axes.

A bell-crank kicking-arm t' is pivoted at i to a post 6'', carried bythe sliding cross-bar e. Said kicking-arm has two fingers at its end,which encircle the jaws g g. 71 holds the kicking-arm normally in aposition so that the fingers 7Z upon the end thereof will lie a littlebelow the axial line between the chucks; but when the bar is moved outto swing the chucks about their vertical axes and before the cross-barreaches the outward end of its journey the foot of the kicking-arm disengaged by a catch 7t, mounted upon the framework of the machine, and asthe bar continues its travel outward the kicking-arm' is rocked upon itspivot, so that the fingers 2' 1? at the ends thereof move upward aboutthe jaws g g, tending to throw out of said jaws anything that may beheld therein.

Having now described the construction of the machine in detail, I willproceed to ex- A spring plain its operation in the process of makinglamp-caps. For this purpose it will be well to refer first to Figs. 1 to6, inclusive, which illustrate the successive steps in the manipulationof a section of glass tubing by which it is transformed into twolamp-caps. A section of tubinglof the proper length is shown in Fig. 1.The attendant who operates the machine is supplied with a number ofthese short sections of glass tubing of the same length, and havingselected one of them she draws down the lever d of the machine, thusopening the two chucks (which are, of course, at this time in alinement)and inserts the tubing into the chucks from above. Then she releases thelever 6?, whereby the spring-impelled arms cl cl move toward oneanother, thus permitting the tubular cores to be forced inward by thehelical springs a, a in the interior of the chucks, whereby the jaws a aof each chuck are closed upon the end of the glass tube. The inner endsof the tubular cores a a are provided with tubular rubber tips a a,which when the jaws of the chuck close upon the side of the glass tubeare adapted to abut against the end of the tube and make an air-tightconnection between the glass tube and the tubular core, to which air issupplied from the rubber tube 0 c. Having fastened the glass tube inposition in the chucks, the attendant starts the rotation of the chucksand at the same time turns on the glass-blowers fires ff, the points ofthe flames being directed upon the central portion of the tubing betweenthe chucks upon either side of the jaws g g, as shown by the arrows inFig. 3. After the central portion of the glass tube has been softenedsufficiently by the heat the attendant gradually raises theoperating-lever e whereby the bar 6 is caused to slide across the bed ofthe machine. As it begins to move the springactuated nipper g closesupon the central portion of the glass, as shown in Fig. 3, and begins todraw out the heated portion of the glass, while at the same time thechucks a a swing about their vertical axes b b to follow the movement ofthe nippers. The flames from the gas-blowers fires ff being caused toswing with the chucks continue to play upon the glass as it is beingdrawn out, and as the cross-bar continues its journey the glass is drawnout so thin that underthe influence of the flames the central portionheld by the nippers is completely separated from the end pieces held bythe chucks, the thin piece of glass between the nippers and the endsbeing melted down by the flames. Fig. 4 shows how the central portion ofthe glass is drawn away from the end pieces in this manner, and Fig. 8shows the several parts of the machine in the positions which theyoccupy at this stage of operation. As the cross-bar e reaches the end ofits journey the foot of the kicking- 4 arm i is caught by the catch 75,and the fingers 2' upon the end of said kicking-arm are moved up aboutthe nippers g g, knocking out the small piece of glass which has beendrawn out from the central portion of the glass tubing. \Vhen the chucksswing far enough so that the mountings ff of the fires strike theabutments f f the mountings are swung in against the tension of thespring f f to change the direction of the flames, so that they will playa little nearer the chucks, to bring the points of the flames upon theends of the glass pieces held by the chucks. The operator now blows intothe mouthpiece c, and the air is communicated through the interior ofthe chucks with the glass pieces held therein, so that the ends arerounded out, as shown in Fig. 5. The caps now being completely formed,the lever e is lowered until the chucks are swung around into alinement,whereupon the lever 01 is operated to open the chucks. The glass capsbeing released fall out of the chucks into guideways m m and are carriedoff into boxes waiting to receive them. As the cross-bar returns to itsinitial position the foot of the nipper g strikes the lug or abutment h,so that the jaws of the nippers are opened sufficiently to allow anothersection of glass tubing to be placed in the chucks. A complete cycle inthe operation of the machine has now been traced.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, the following:

1. The combination with a pair of chucks adapted to hold a length ofglass tubing, of means for rotating the chucks together in the samedirection at the same speed, means for heating the glass tubing at apoint between the chucks, a pair of nippers adapted to grasp the glasstubing where heated, means for re tracting the nippers andsimultaneously swinging each of the chucks about an axis at an anglewith its axis of rotation, whereby the central heated portion of theglass tubing is drawn out and severed from the two ends, and means forblowing air into the two ends within the chucks to round out the heatedtips, as set forth.

2. The combination with a pair of chucks adapted to hold a length ofglass tubing, of means for rotating the chucks together in the samedirection at the same speed, a mounting for each chuck permit-ting it tobe swung, while rotating, about an axis at an angle with its axis ofrotation, a gas-jet or fire carried by the mounting of each chuck, toswing therewith, said fires being adapted to heat the glass tubingintermediate of the chucks, a pair of nippers adapted to grasp theheated portion of the tubing, and means for swinging the chucks and forsimultaneously retracting the nippers, whereby the heated portion of thetubing is drawn out and severed from the ends held by the chucks, as setforth.

3. The combination with a pair of chucks adapted to hold a length ofglass tubing, of means for heating the glass tubing between the twochucks, a pair of nippers adapted to grasp the heated portion, means forswinging each chuck about an axis at an angle with its axis of rotation,means for simultaneously retracting the nippers, whereby the centralheated portion is drawn out and finally severed from the ends held bythe chucks, and a kicking-lever automatically actuated in retracting thenippers, for disengaging the withdrawn portion of glass from thenippers, as set forth.

4. The combination with a pair of chucks, each having jaws adapted tograsp the end of a length of glass tubing which may be placed in thechucks, of a longitudinally-movable core for each chuck, a soft-rubbertip for eachof said tubular cores adapted to form an airtight cushionbetween the tubular core and the glass tubing, and means for blowing airthrough said tubular cores, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a pair of chucks, each having jawsadapted tograsp the end of a length of glass tubing which may be placed in thechucks, of a longitudinally-movable tubular core for each chuck, asoft-rubber tip for each of said tubular cores, adapted to form anair-tight cushion against the end of the glass tubing held in the chuck,a connection between each movable tubular core and the jaws of itschuck, whereby said jaws are operated in the movement of the core, aspring for each chuck tending to keep the core normally pressed forwardand the jaws tightened, and means for simultaneously retracting thecores of both chucksand opening the jaws thereof, as set forth.

6. The combination with a pair of rotatable chucks, of a mounting foreach chuck adapted to swing about an axis at right angles with the'axisof rotationof the chucks, means for rotating the chucks, a slidingcross-bar and IIO means for reciprocating the same, a pin 2' carried bythe cross-bar, and extensions for the swinging mountings of said chucks,said extensions having slots engaged by said pin, whereby the chucks areswung around together by the reciprocation of the cross-bar, as setforth.

7; The combination with a pair of rotatable chucks, of a mounting foreach chuck adapted to swing about an axis at right angles with the axisof rotation of the chucks, a sliding cross-bar and means forreciprocating the same, a pin 6 carried by the cross-bar, extensions forthe swinging mountings of said chucks, said extensions having slotsengaged by said pin, whereby the chucks are swung around together by thereciprocation of the cross-bar, and a pair of nippers carried by thecross-bar, for grasping the central portion of a section of heated glasstubing held by said chucks and drawing it out, as set forth.

8. The combination with a pair of chucks adapted to hold a length ofglass tubing, of means for rotating the chucks together in the samedirection at the same speed, amounting foreach chuck permitting it to beswung while rotating about an axis at an angle with its axis ofrotation, a gas-jet or fire carried by the mounting of each chuck toswing therewith, said fires being adapted to heat the glass tubingbetween the chucks, a pair of nippers adapted to grasp the heatedportion of the tube, means for swinging the chucks and forsimultaneously retracting the nippers,wl1ereby the heated portion of thetubing is drawn out and severed from the ends held by the chucks, andmeans for swinging the gas-jets relatively to the chucks, to bring thepoints of the flames to play upon the ends of the glass pieces held bysaid chucks, as set forth.

9. The combination with a pair of rotatable chucks adapted to hold alength of glass tubing, each of said chucks having a mounting 10. Thecombination with a pair of rotatable chucks adapted to hold a length ofglass tubing, of means for heating the tubing at a point between thechucks, a pair of nippers adapted to grasp the heated portion ofthetubing, and

means for retracting said nippers, whereby the central portion of theglass tubing is drawn out and severed from the ends held by the chucks,as set forth.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 20th day ofOctober, A. D. 1900.

FREDERICK II. LOVERIDGE.

Witnesses:

ELLA EDLER, I THOMAS A. PITHER.

